Urban Bridge Project "Outstanding"

Urban Engineers recently received an Outstanding Achievement Award from the Association for Bridge Construction and Design, which recognized the firm’s efforts on Flint Hill Road (SR 3023) over the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Montgomery County.

The award acknowledges, “valuable contributions to the local bridge industry based on technical merit, aesthetics, innovation and constructability.”

Originally constructed in 1954, the bridge had a clear span of 87 feet, crossing over four lanes of traffic. After 46 years of service, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission found it necessary to increase the capacity of the Turnpike from four to six lanes between the Valley Forge and Norristown interchanges.

As part of the overall project, the bridge had to be reconstructed to accommodate the additional lanes. It now spans almost 116 feet over six lanes, with 12-foot-wide shoulders and a 16-foot-wide median.

The unique aspects of the project included:
Improved alignment of Flint Hill Road and sight distance for multiple points of
access
Maintained one lane of access on Flint Hill Road for emergency vehicles at all
times
Constructed in Karst geological conditions
Ensured fluid and clean visual line by having a smooth transition between the
soldier pile retaining wall and curved wing wall of bridge
Employed pre-cast concrete panels of soldier pile wall supported by a steel post
encased in curved wing wall
Utilized temporary shoring as high as 32 feet to reach proposed footing elevations